I have some questions about recreating another artist's work in Bryce and showing it here. Recently I've come across a contemporary landscape artist. P.A. Nisbet whose art really moved and impressed me. So much so that I would like try to see if I could get similar results in bryce ( Hopefully learning a lot in the process). Then I thought that if I could any where close to his mystery and beauty I would want to show it here.

Would this be ethical and legal?  Should I get the artist's permission?

Here is his website address http://www.panisbet.com/intro.html

The piece I will try to recreate is "Little Colorado Gorge". For those who can get excited by beautiful landscapes, don't miss this. 

Thank you, Charles Boyer

Personally I would get in touch with the artist in question and ask if I can create a reproduction of his work using the program of my choice and ensure the artist that the final render will not be used on a commercial basis.

It is better to ensure that all is OK before proceeding. If it is not OK then you could always just use the experience for your own personel collection without release on the basis of satisfying your will to learn new ideas that you could use within your own personel renders. Afterall.. all artists have developed their skills by copying those that inspire them and then used what they have learned to enhance their own projects.

My opinion as an author:  An artist or author has automatic copyright on the work they produce, which means you cannot copy and sell the work. However, there is nothing to prevent you taking inspiration from that work and using it produce your own, especially as you are using a different media, Bryce rather than paints.

Additionally, if you only want to post it on the forums, you are not making money selling, so there really is no problem. You could credit the artist in a note with the picture if you feel the original work deserves a mention. Is the artist still living? I don't recognize the name.

 

Rob.

Art students & artists have been copying other artists work for centuries. As long as you acknowledge the original source, don't pass it off as your own & don't attempt to financially profit from the work of others, I don't think there's an ethical or legal problem.

Aside from trying to recreate another artist's work as closely as possible, using another artist's work as a springboard for creating variations on a theme is also a well-worn artistic tradition, frequently in the form of homages to artists you admire. In those cases, I think it's perfectly acceptable to sell your work, though always good to acknowledge the source of your inspiration as well...

Attached Link: my copy

I have a Magritte I did in my Gallery and I feel as long as it's a totally different medium most artists would consider it flattering that you were so inspired by his/her work.

Add this to eyeland's well thought out comments...you will not be selling this just sharing it with in an art community so I'd say, write for permission if your ethical sense says to but there's really no legal need, just polite behaviour at question here.

I think you should contact the artist involved and ask permission, explaining exactly what you intend to do and where you wish to display it.

I did this with my 'Homage: Gilles Tran's "The Wet Bird"'. The artist was perfectly happy and even gave a link to my work on his own web site!

There is nothing illegal about reproducing another artist's work as long as you don't try to pass it off as the original.

AnnieD is correct as is eyeland. I've done 'my takes' on MC Escher and Giger. I'm currently working on a Holbein.

I did a knockoff of 'Nighthawks' by Hopper, and as above, some Escher, no one's ever mistaken my stuff for an original...;)

Attached Link: http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/1725312.jpg

Imitation is the highest form of flattery as they say. Albeit that the Little Colorado Gorge is in itself a real and natural work of nature which Nisbet imitated himself. How many different angles can we take of the same structure? Above is a googled image of the gorge in question. Just because Ansel Adams photographed Yosemite Mountain’s El Capitan doesn’t mean that no one else can photograph it anymore. Go ahead, create your own rendition set at a slightly different angle and put your name to it and sell it if you wish. After all, it’s being done in a different medium by a different artist. But if you intend to copy Nisbet’s work exactly, then it would be best that you notify him that you intend to do so in a different medium and by all means give him credit.

 

Thank you all so much for your responses.  I've decided to finish my "imitation" of mister Nisbet's painting. I know that there will be much to learn about how he achieved the beauty and mystery in such a simple a quiet scene. I probably wont post the work though.

I hope that some of you will take the time to look at his website that I mentioned above.

Please do post when you've got something close...I for one am curious as to how you'd do it. He's sorta Turner-esque in his use of light.. ...

I may take a run at Haystacks South Park myself...his work would be a good comp...something like "Re-Create This".. ...

Thank you bobbystar for taking a look. I've been working at it for quite a while, I'm thinking of showing it as a work in progress.Also I would thank Quest for the photo of the subject, it's practically the same view point.

You’re welcome. After looking at Nisbet’s rendition I wondered why he chose that particular view of the gorge. I just selected a comparable view to offer you.

 

 

I've always argued/thought that deconstructing an image that really moves you is a vital and perfectly valid creative tool.  I spent almost the whole of my 2nd year as a Fine Art student painting a meticulous full-sized copy of "Mariana in the Moated Grange" by Millais - my lecturers were nonplussed, but I learned an awful lot about Pre-Raphaelite painting techniques!  Can't see a problem with the ethical side of it, as long as you don't try and pass it off as your own work or make money from it.  As others have said, it's always good manners to ask, if in doubt.  I usually find it opens up other creative avenues of your own as you go along, anyway, sometimes far removed from the piece that inspired you in the first place.  I'm always trying to emulate Rochr in Bryce.  And failing!